Cotecchia, V.

This paper contributes to geological and stratigraphical knowledge of a part of Southern Appennines: the study area is the Coccovello Mount (1505 m), near Campania-Basilicata regional border. The Coccovello Mount by a monoclinalic structure of Creataceous carbonatic rocks ( 1000 m thick) is characterized. With bio and chronostratigraphic results we are able to ascribe this carbonatic succession to Hauterivian-Coniacian age

l territorio murgiano-salentino, data la sua natura prevalentemente carsica, è praticamente privo di risorse idriche superficiali; d’altra parte lo stesso è dotato di risorse idriche sotterranee anche notevoli, che hanno a tutt’oggi consentito, per vaste aree, lo sviluppo delle attività produttive. La natura di tali risorse idriche sotterranee, le particolari fenomenologie che regolano i processi di alimentazione, di deflusso e di svuotamento nonché l’influenza esercitata dal mare, rendono quanto mai delicato il problema di una oculata gestione e di un corretto impiego delle acque sotterranee. Sono dunque di attualità i problemi relativi alla degradazione delle acque sotterranee, sia per fenomeni di contaminazione salina che per fenomeni di inquinamento antropico, derivanti dalla pratica di utilizzare il sottosuolo come ricettacolo di reflui anche non trattati. La corretta gestione e tutela del patrimonio idrico sotterraneo rappresenta quindi un obiettivo prioritario da perseguire a breve termine; a tal fine si fa ricorso a due tipi di approccio, attuati a diversa scala: a scala regionale si opera un controllo continuo dei fenomeni evolutivi che interessano la disponibilità e la qualità delle risorse idriche sotterranee; a scala locale, con il massimo dettaglio, si studiano le iniziative di tutela delle acque sotterranee di maggior pregio destinate al consumo umano attraverso la delimitazione delle aree di salvaguardia.

L'area di studio è rappresentativa sia degli aspetti idrogeologici tipici delle zone di alimentazione del Salento sia degli effetti dell'antropizzazione, è sede di nurnerosi pozzi adibiti ad uso potabile. Lo studio è stato finalizzato alla redazione della carta della vulnerabilità dell’acquifero con ii metodo SINTACS. La natura sperimentale dell’applicazione è legata alle peculiarità dell’acquifero salentino e all’assenza di esperienze pregresse per tale contesto. Sono stati effettuati rilievi diretti, prove idrogeologiche e piü cicli di campionarnento idrico ed analisi di laboratorio. I centri di pericolo sono stati censiti sulla base delle banche dati disponibili ed ispezionando ii territorio. L’infiltrazione si è dirnostrata molto rapida, anche laddove l’acquifero non affiora. La vulnerabilità è risultata notevole, da alta a molto elevata. La qualita delle acque, per quanto tuttora buona, si è dimostrata sensibile alla posizione e all’azione dei centri di pericolo. I rischi di degrado qualitativo sono risultati non trascurabili.

The hydrogeological Apulian units are of coastal type and are mainly carbonate rocks of Mesozoic age. The rapid socio-economic growth, which has occurred in the past decades, has lead to different hazardous conditions in connection with groundwater quality. Groundwater for domestic, irrigation and industrial uses has been withdrawn in large quantities over the years; the aquifers are also increasingly becoming the ultimate "receptacle" for domestic and industrial wastewater. In order to characterise the evolutionary features of increasing saline and human-related pollution, data was gathered by a regionally based continuously operating hydrogeological monitoring network. It uses more than 100 wells, some of which are hundreds of meters deep, equipped with multiparameter sensors, temperature, conductivity and level gauges set up along the vertical axis and connected to a geo-information system. Water samples are periodically taken from the wells, the samples are analysed by chemical, physical and bacteriological parameters with the aim of detecting any farming and industrial pollutants. The new system, which provides real-time information for groundwater planning, scheduling and management, is described together with some preliminary results. The impact of seawater intrusion on water quality at regional level is also discussed.

Sandy levels bearing bicarbonate-sodium waters, having hydraulic heads sometimes higher than ground level, have been observed during drillings in the Pliocene-Pleistocene clayey formation of the Tavoliere area. Hypotheses on origin and renewal capability of groundwater of these levels have been put forward considering usual hydrogeological parameters from discharge tests and geochemical and isotopic data.

Parruta Spring (220 m asl) lies at the foot of the eastern slopes of Serra Murazze. The area is characterized by the overthrusting of the Verbicaro Unit on the Liguide Unit (Chaps 1 and 2, Fig. 1). Widespread tectonization,relief energy and structural attitude initiated deep gravity deformation and lateral spreading of the slopes, followed by roto-translational slides and flows (Chaps 2 anbd 3, Figs 2 and 3). Immediately upstream of the spring there are broken carbonate-rock masses resulting from lateral spreading (Chap 3, Fig. 3). These fractured rocks overlie blackish siliceous marls and argillites which are capped by a 10-m thick level of cataclastic limestone sands (Fig. 4). Deformation of the top of the argillaceous formation created basins that favour groundwater flow towards Parrutta Spring. Above these depressions the waters are fresher and colder and the hydrogeological characteristics of the wells are better (Chap. 4, Figs 2.5 and 6). The investigations confirm the working hypotheses adopted. Interpretation of the salinity and temperature logs, in particular, indicates that such investigations are particularly significant in hydrogeological environments of this type.

The SINTACS method for the aquifer vulnerability evaluation is experimented in a selected area of the Murgia hydrogeological unit (southern Italy). The test area is representative for the large and deep carbonate Murgia aquifer and for anthropic effects on groundwater.

During the last decades the coming up of new technologies as well as new needs has increased the interest in groundwater likely to be found in aquifers below massively urbanized areas, even where the groundwater quality does not permit any kind of use. Such an assumption has led to study the characteristics of chemical-physical degradation of groundwater flowing in the aquifer outcropping where the town of Bari is located. Surveys proved that significant groundwater alterations are mostly due to massive widespread water discharges and sewage releasing in the subsoil. Air-conditioning systems which often use groundwater for heat exchange play an important role. In order to assess the spatial effects of such heat exchanges, mostly unauthorized, numerical simulations were realised.

The SINTACS method for the aquifer vulnerability evaluation is experimented in a selected area of the Murgia hydrogeological unit (southern Italy). The test area is representative for the large and deep carbonate Murgia aquifer and for anthropic effects on groundwater. The experience of mapping elaboration, based a complex monitoring activity, is described.

Apulia is affected by two types of human-related pollution: salt contamination and chemico-physical and biological pollution. The special severity of the situation calls for a rigorous approach based on available scientific knowledge and supplemented by up-to-date investigations of the evolution of groundwater quality. Particularly useful are to this end the multi-parameter logs which have been executed along the water column of the well, through the monitoring of temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen and oxidation-reduction potential of groundwater. This method, which has been tested in 120 wells over one year, has allowed to detect some typical trends of the parameters under study. These types, which are rather recurrent in space and time, allow an extensive use of the suggested method which can be easily applied to the preliminary detection of the hydrogeological conditions which determine the chemical and physical nature of groundwater and the occurrence of human- or salt-related contamination.